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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840685">Scent of Words</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lithium1506/pseuds/Lithium1506'>Lithium1506</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>beware of the brothers, 어느날 공주가 되어버렸다 | Who Made Me A Princess (Webcomic)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Ficlet Collection, How Do I Use Tags, I'm Team Lone Wolf, One Shot Collection, Sorry to Kiel fans, Still like him tho, a lot of aus, some are one shots</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-06-21</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-04 05:47:28</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,553</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/24840685</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lithium1506/pseuds/Lithium1506</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Collection of drabbles, one-shots and ficlets that I originally posted on my Tumblr (Lithium-15).<br/>It's the first time I ever use AO3 so please be indulgent with me lmao.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Athanasia de Alger Obelia &amp; Claude de Alger Obelia, Athanasia de Alger Obelia &amp; Lucas, Athanasia de Alger Obelia/Lucas, Ijekiel Alpheus &amp; Athanasia de Alger Obelia, Ijekiel Alpheus/Athanasia de Alger Obelia/Lucas</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>61</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. From Korea to Obelia</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Park Eun-jung didn’t want to be Jenette. Maybe that when she was a child, she would have loved to be the pretty, lucky princess, but not now. She didn’t want to be her, but—<br/>
But she had to face it. She had been reborn as the main character from that cheesy novel she read as a teenager, “The Lovely Princess”.</p>
<p>Staring at the baby mobile just above her little, chubby face, she wanted to bawl. She wanted her family— her uncle back. She didn’t care about being a princess. About having a father. She already had one, back home.<br/>
And maybe it was because she was a baby (she was barely a newborn, and she could barely move, hear, see— but it was enough to understand what was going on and who she was now), but her new guardian, Roger Alpheus, and his ambitious gaze, terrified her. Duchess Alpheus always looked at her doubtfully, unsure that keeping that child would do their family any well, and the maids trembled when their eyes met her little, bright jewelled ones. The only person who looked at her quite genuinely was her “future husband”, little Ijekiel, who rather looked like a white dandelion than a Prince Charming, being barely three years old.</p>
<p>Everyday, she tried to convince herself that it was only a nightmare, that she would wake up and everything would be back to normal— she would wake up, go to see her uncle, the one she considered as her father, she would go to college as she did everyday, she would see her friends... Oh, she missed her life so much.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>She never woke up from her nightmare.</p>
<p>She was now eight years old, and she started wondering if the memories from her past life were just illusions. She never knew if it were her instincts, or if it was just her desperation, but she ended up clinging to Ijekiel during all these years, thinking of him as her only emotional support. He was the only one who didn’t think of her as a tool, after all. She didn’t need the title of princess, she didn’t need a father or a sister (even if she pitied the Athanasia from the novel), she just wanted her old, real life back. She didn’t even know how she ended up being Jenette— did she, Park Eun-Jung, die? Why? When? Do people know about it? How did her uncle react? Is he doing alright? He has already lost a daughter, and if he also lost her, how could he—... </p>
<p>She shook her head. No. She shouldn’t be thinking about that. Not again. Ah, anyway, she wanted to see Ijekiel, but she felt like he was avoiding her, lately. So she went in direction of the room she supposed the boy was in, as she heard his voice, among the silent corridors of the house. But realising that he was not alone, that there was another voice in the room, she felt the urge to go back. She didn’t want to see the maids, the duke or the duchess. Maybe she could persuade Kiel to come with her, though. With that thought in mind, she knocked on the door.</p>
<p>- Big brother.</p>
<p>No answer. She could have sworn she heard his voice, though.</p>
<p>- Big brother, may I come in?</p>
<p>She heard the other voice again, realising that it was a childish, unknown one. She frowned, knowing quite well that no other child could possibly be at the Alpheus estate, and she knocked on the door again.</p>
<p>- Wait just a minute. I’ll come out. Wait here for a second, please.</p>
<p>Frowning again, Eun-jung— no, Jenette— felt nervous. Why didn’t Ijekiel told her to come in? What— who was he hiding? Why would another child be in the house? Why—</p>
<p>- What is it?</p>
<p>Ijekiel barely opened the door, preventing her from peeking through, preventing her from seeing the other person in the room.</p>
<p>- Read me a book- she said, trying to make him come out of the room.</p>
<p>- A book?</p>
<p>- Yeah. Finish reading me the one you read last time.</p>
<p>- But I finished reading you that one two days ago.</p>
<p>- Then help me brush Alice’s hair.</p>
<p>- Alice is probably on the drying line by now. You put her in the laundry basket basket with Amy this morning.</p>
<p>She felt nervousness rising in her chest again. What was happening? Why did Ijekiel— Was that person the reason Ijekiel had been avoiding her? Was she really losing her only attach in this world? In this world that she despised?</p>
<p>- T-then, come to the greenhouse with me. Ann told me the white roses blossomed today.</p>
<p>She kept insisting. Jenette knew that he just couldn’t refuse. She knew that her voice was adorable. She knew— she knew that despite the fact he has been distant lately, Ijekiel appreciated her, cherished her.</p>
<p>So she just kept on.</p>
<p>- Your father is not here either. Can’t you come and see the roses with me? Please?</p>
<p>She wanted him out of the room. She wanted him by her side, she wanted to see the unknown, sweet voice’s owner.</p>
<p>- Jenette…</p>
<p>She tried to peek through the slightly opened door again, failing to see anything strange, just eyeing Ijekiel’s chubby, nervous face, throwing anxious glances to something behind him.</p>
<p>- What? Is there something in the room?</p>
<p>She didn’t intend on sounding accusing, so she just hoped that her delicate voice masked her nervousness.</p>
<p>- No. I was just checking… If the windows were open.</p>
<p>- …</p>
<p>She felt her mind going numb for a few seconds. If Ijekiel refused to tell her what he was hiding in the room, there was nothing she could do about it. Swallowing her deception, she reminded herself that she couldn’t afford to throw a tantrum. Not to Ijekiel, not in the Alpheus household in general, as she was just their ward. The one that was truly loved by the ducal couple was Ijekiel, after all. If she made a fuss, and the rumor ended up propagating through the estate, the duchess would just look at her coldly, as she always did, Ijekiel wouldn’t dare say anything (he was just a ten year-old, after all) and the duke would give her that disappointed, and yet furious look he always gave her since she first expressed her desinterest about being a princess, about meeting her father— the emperor— and being part of the royal family in general. She understood since long ago that in his eyes, she was just a golden tool to be have power, money and reputation. And if she had to give up on her friendship with Ijekiel, on the only person that she truly appreciated in this world… She supposed she had do it. She didn’t have much of a choice, anyway. She wouldn’t beg for affection.</p>
<p>- … Alright. Let’s go to the greenhouse.</p>
<p>But she realised that she just couldn’t ignore Ijekiel and go away, so she just tried to sound as cute and cheery as usual, hoping that Ijekiel and the mysterious child didn’t hear how her voice trembled.</p>
<p>- Really?</p>
<p>And she tried to ignore how Ijekiel kept glancing at the room as they left to the garden.</p>
<p>.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>She was fourteen now. And except the fact that the duchess had passed away, nothing much had changed. She kept her distances with Ijekiel (who didn’t seem to notice it anyway, as he left for Arlanta to study, only coming back a few weeks per year), the maids kept ignoring her, displeased by her cold attitude, and duke Alpheus still gave her that disapproving look whenever they talked about her family— the imperial family. The last time they talked about it, it was about princess Athanasia (who seemed to have gained the emperor’s favours and affections, which surprised her at first. Not that she cared. She didn’t want to be the emperor’s darling daughter, so she didn’t have any reason to be jealous)’s upcoming debutante party, to which she expressed once again her pure desinterest, procuring a fury in her guardian’s golden eyes. He was furious and desperate at the turn of the events. Not only the emperor openly showed his affection towards the first princess, but his golden asset didn’t even deign to feign wanting to be a princess— to elevate him in society. Jenette hoped that he regretted his decision of adopting her. Serves him right, for being such an arrivist, ambitious person.</p>
<p>Some days after that, she was supposed to go into town with Ijekiel, pressured by the duke, who felt nervous at the disharmony between his son and his ward. They were supposed to like each other, to be bethroted— to rule this empire and give him a life of notoriety and power! They just couldn’t dislike and ignore each other!<br/>
But Ijekiel was nowhere to be seen in the whole house, making her feel annoyed. She didn’t want to go on a date with him either, so couldn't he at least just make things go easy? After looking for him practically everywhere, she realised that the only place she didn’t look for him was the garden, so supposed that he must be there.</p>
<p>- Ijekiel? Are you there?</p>
<p>Just like years ago, she faintly heard his voice, this time accompanied with hurried steps against the green grass, as she approached the source of the noise. Was he really running away? How old was he? Five, perhaps?</p>
<p>- What should I do…?- she spoke out loudly and accusingly, hoping that he would hear her and come back- We will be late if we don’t go now.</p>
<p>Ijekiel didn’t come back. Not really surprised, Jenette tried to approach him, peeking through the bushes, and she could barely hold back a loud gasp when she realised that— once again — he wasn’t alone, and she almost fainted when she saw curly blond hair shining in the sun and a pair of panicked jewelled eyes hesitantly looking back. She made sure to stay behind the bush, invisible to Ijekiel and-…</p>
<p>The princess.</p>
<p>.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>Jenette didn’t want to go to the princess’s debutante. She didn’t want to dance with Ijekiel, she didn’t want to see her supposed family (and she had already seen her “sister”, and she did certainly not want to know what she was doing in the Alpheus estate, if she was the reason why Ijekiel started avoiding her in a first place, if she had been the owner of the mysterious childish voice. She didn't want—)<br/>
And she wanted to ignore the fact that the emperor reminded her of her uncle— the man she considered her father back home, in her real world.</p>
<p>.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>Jenette didn’t want to go to the princess’s tea party. She only wanted to forget her and the emperor, forget countess Rosalia and duke Alpheus’ expectations, forget Ijekiel’s loving gaze diriged to the princess—</p>
<p>Not that she had a say, anyway. So she ended up going, dressed with a simple (too simple) beige outfit, to the maid’s and duke’s dismay.<br/>
And she barely spoke to the princess, who just glanced at her nervously, even suspiciously, even if it was their first meeting. Did she realise that she had seen her and Ijekiel, months ago, in the gardens of the Alpheus estate? Or could it be that she knew (suspected) something… About her?<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>Lucas was sure of it now. After appearing to Athanasia’s tea party and seeing that chimera girl, he could affirm that she was not only reeking of black magic, that she was not human— but that her “soul” didn’t come from this world either. Like Athanasia’s.<br/>
Not that he could tell the princess about the latter matter, though. He knew that Athanasia wanted (tried) to keep it secret.</p>
<p>But she knew him too well— she saw him scrutinising Jenette, and she was far too curious about the girl to not ask him what he thought about her. She was just… So different from what was told in the novel “The Lovely Princess”. Had she not known about the book, Athanasia would have never imagined that Jenette was a cheery, friendly girl. Her face was so blank.</p>
<p>- Her soul is not from here. And her name isn’t even Jenette. Just by looking at her, I can tell that her name is “Eun-jung Park.” What a weird name, huh. Don’t get too close to her, by the way. She stinks of black magic.</p>
<p>Athanasia froze in her seat.</p>
<p>« Oh. Goodness. Could it be—…»<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>- Lady Margarita. Would you mind if I speak with you for a moment?</p>
<p>Jenette looked ar her, quite surprised. She was ready to head back home, and she had almost jumped out of her seat at the end of the fifth tea party organised by princess Athanasia. They barely even talked to each other, and as time passed, she was surprised that she even kept receiving invitations. Looking at the other young nobles ladies, who were already far, at the other extremity of the elegant rose garden of the Emerald palace, escorted by some knights, ready to get into their carriages, she felt nervous.</p>
<p>Why would the princess suddenly want to talk with her?</p>
<p>- Yes, of course, Your Highness.</p>
<p>Not that she had a say, anyway.</p>
<p>.<br/>
.<br/>
.</p>
<p>- Lady Margarita. Do you know of a place called “Korea”?</p>
<p>Athanasia was nervous, as she finally decided to confront “Jenette”. She just couldn’t ignore the fact that there was someone else like her in this world. Maybe she should have ignored it, but-…</p>
<p>- …</p>
<p>Jenette shivered. Her intuitions were right.<br/>
The princess knew.</p>
<p>- Lady Margarita… Could it be… That you also read it? That book…<br/>
Athanasia didn’t need Jenette to answer. Her eyes and her nervous stare spoke for her, so she just continued.</p>
<p>- My name is Lee Jihye.</p>
<p>Lee Jihye.<br/>
Lee Jihye.</p>
<p>The name of his uncle—her father—‘s daughter. The daughter that he abandonned as soon as she was born. The daughter he had been looking for during years— the daughter he projected onto her.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Sir Ernst and his Fairy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Athanasia steps up as the official heir to the crown of the Obelian empire. She goes to the kingdom of Arlanta as an embassador of Obelia, along with Lucas, who represents the Black Tower, to conclude a treaty, so Atlanta can develop their magic institutions. Once they arrive to the Arlantan court, they retire to talk with the king of Arlanta about their treaty, and some noble ladies start gossiping about the foreign princess.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>- I had heard rumours about her and her beauty, but I had never dared imagining that she would be this dazzling. You already met her when you went to the Empire with the delegation, didn’t you, sir Ernst?</p><p>Cabel barely heard them, deep in thought, paralysed by the sudden joy of seeing the girl he loves again. His cheeks were burning red, his eyes were shiny and he slightly shaked. His lips curved upward before he could even notice it.</p><p>- Fairy…</p><p>Hari saw his reaction, also impressed by the charismatic imperial princess. She understood why her brother was so head over heels for her, and she was about to discreetly tease her ever confident and cheery brother when she was interrupted. The ladies had noticed the look on his eyes too, but they just assumed that he had seen the same as they did.</p><p>- Did you see it too, sir Ernst?</p><p>- Seen what?</p><p>- The princess’s hand!</p><p>- Princess Athanasia had an engagement ring on her left hand!</p><p>- I believe that the handsome warlock that came with her also wore a similar one.</p><p>- Oh my! Lady Kilham, are you sure of it?</p><p>- If I tell you so!</p><p>- Princess Athanasia will step on the throne of the Empire quite soon after all. It wouldn’t strange for her to be wed soon, too.</p><p>No. Cabel hadn’t seen it. He was far too preoccupied with the gentle smile that his fairy adressed him to even give a glance to her fair, little hands.<br/>He felt the nervous gazes of his brother Eugene, who had barely and discretely arrived, and his sister Hari upon him. They knew about his feelings, and they immediately realised how he must have felt.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- Cabel, are you alright?</p><p>- Hari, Eugene…</p><p>- You should talk to her, brother Cabel.</p><p>- But, I-…</p><p>- Cabel. You must talk to princess Athanasia. Be honest with your feelings. You must act like an Ernst. You don’t have anything to be ashamed about. If you don’t talk to her now, you might regret it in the future.</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>Rumors went fast, and soon enough, princess Athanasia confirmed them during the banquet. Sir Lucas had been named as her soon-to-be-husband. The emperor had approved of him, and the reason why the nobles from Arlanta didn’t know about it was that the engagement had not been publicly announced just yet. But the soon-to-be-marrieds insisted on wearing their sophisticated, matching engagement rings, decorated with rubies and sapphires. As everyone around her was congratulating the fiancés, Cabel felt numb.</p><p>He knew that sir Lucas was a great man. The strongest wizard to have ever existed. A strong opponent. A significant diplomat.<br/>A man in love. He could tell it by the way he looked at the princess.</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>He had to talk to her, so he requested to talk to her privately, taking advantage of the fact that sir Lucas wasn’t there, probably busy with the Arlantan warlocks. He tried to ignore the looks that people directed to him. Princess Athanasia agreed, a look of curiosity on her face, and Cabel perceived the nervousness rushing into his whole body, thick, cold and yet hot. He shivered.</p><p>But as he was in front of her, he felt as if his words and thoughts suddenly escaped him. Still feeling numb, his eyes locked into her jewelled ones, and he couldn’t help but stutter, as he tried to do small talk while guiding her in the corridors of the royal palace. It had always been like that, ever since he talked to her for the first time. Him stuttering, and her looking at him, quite endeared by his childish behaviour. He didn’t want to be childish. Not now.<br/>He wasn’t a child anymore. He had grown up, and he had to face the fact that his first, greatest love, had just announced her engagement, her cheeks warm and her eyes shining. Even if he had wanted to, he just could not happily smile to her like he had done years ago.</p><p>He didn’t notice her concerned glances. </p><p>Athanasia knew him well, despite having met only a few times. And she also perfectly knew that Cabel was in love with her, even though he should have loved Jenette, as depicted in “The Lovely Princess”. She not only noticed it, Felix and Lucas also told her so. But she always assumed that he would soon forget her, as years passed. </p><p>She was wrong.</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>His fairy was ethereal, beautiful, among the thousands of flowers that decorated the palace’s garden. The sunset illuminated her face and hair, highlighting even more her golden hair and eyelashes, reflecting in her unreal pupils. And oh, he was nervous. He knew that he had already lost.</p><p>But maybe you can’t lose something you never had.</p><p>- Princess Athanasia, I…</p><p>Looking out of the corner of his eye, Cabel eyed at the man at the door of the greenhouse. It was princess Athanasia’s betrothed. He saw the look of empathy in the man’s red eyes, and he understood that sir Lucas already knew that he was in love with the princess. Maybe she already knew it too. But even if that’s the case, he must-…</p><p>- Your Highness. I am in love with you.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~</p><p>* In the novel, during a duel between Cabel and Lucas, Cabel was (obviously) loosing, and he muttered that he didn’t want to lose in front of Athanasia because he likes her. I assume that he didn’t meant for Lucas to hear it. Also, Lucas later said (if I'm not wrong??) that he quite appreciated Cabel because he was stronger than he thought. I also assume that Lucas appreciated Cabel’s honesty about his feelings for Athanasia, as he (Lucas) struggled with it at that time. I don’t think that Lucas would dislike Cabel in the way he dislikes Ijekiel tbh.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. A sister from another world pt.1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>I'll let you the context of this chapter right here:</p><p>https://lithium-15.tumblr.com/post/620111016960868352/mini-fic-spoiler-of-the-novel</p><p> </p><p>But basically, there are different dimensions:</p><p>One in which Athy ends up with Kiel, and one in which she ends up with Lucas.<br/>This fic takes place in AthyKiel's dimension: they had a child, Amarantha (aka Amy), who mysteriously meets a little girl who fell from the sky ;)</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>- I will go to the library, daddy. Do you want to come with me?</p><p>- Go ahead, Amy. I have a council with your mother and your grandfathers, so I have to go. I’ll see you later.</p><p>- Oh, sure, daddy. I’ll be going, then.</p><p>Amarantha softly bowed goodbye to her father, who proudly watched as the apple of this eye, his dear daughter, exited out of the room in direction of her private library, and he couldn’t help but notice how she elegantly walked like her mother, and he felt like his little lady angel was in front of him again, despite how Amarantha looked like himself. But obviously, Amarantha had her mother’s imperial eyes—</p><p>Ah yes. Her mother’s eyes.<br/>Athanasia’s eyes.<br/>Athanasia, whom he loves so dearly and—</p><p>- … The council. That’s right. I have to go. I can’t afford to—</p><p>Ijekiel couldn’t afford to not go to that council, despite the fact that he didn’t want to see them— his father-in-law, his father, the nobles, and his wife.</p><p>Claude despised him. He could see it in his eyes. The only reason why the former emperor does not openly shows his dislike for his son-in-law is that he does not want rumors about it to reach his daughter and granddaughter’s ears, and give that pleasure to the nobles. His father, duke Roger Alpheus, always tries to reprimand him at whatever occasion, looking at him with his eyes full of greed (Ijekiel still remembers how angry his father was when he understood that his son wouldn’t be crowned emperor, and would just be the imperial consort. Usually, he would have brushed it off and reprimanded his father, like he always did, but lately, he did not have the energy for it), while the others nobles eyed at him scornfully, with their fake respect and kindness, fully aware that his marriage to the empress was shattering to pieces. They judged him, whispering how the Alpheus were only a family of arrogants, and that Ijekiel had been full of himself by thinking that he could win Athanasia’s heart, step up on the throne and control the empire. And Athanasia—</p><p>Athanasia just looked at him with her with her eyes full of sympathy.</p><p>Yes, sympathy.</p><p>With the same sympathy she talked to Helena, her best friend, for example, or to Jenette. Not lovingly, as he always wanted, as she used to do, when they were just newlyweds. Not lovingly, like she did before realising that he was not the man she loved. About three years ago, when their daughter was only five.</p><p>And it was during those moments that he regretted not expressing his feelings to her better. Maybe he should have proposed to her in a romantic way, maybe he should have declared his undying love to her on the day of their wedding.</p><p>But the idea of marriage had come naturally to them, and he had not really proposed like he always thought he would, and he ended bottling up that easy, simple happiness in his heart without ever expressing it. Maybe that’s why Athanasia’s love for him had faded. Or maybe it was because of—</p><p>He shaked his head, chasing his thoughts, and sighing, Ijekiel started heading towards the council meeting, his mind and heart filled with dark feelings.</p><p>Maybe the nobles were right. Maybe he had been too prideful, trying to lock up Athanasia in a love she did not fit in.</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>The library was empty, of course. There were not even guards at it’s entrance, per Amarantha’s request. She felt uncomfortable studying and practicing magic with people next to her.</p><p>- I don’t understand…</p><p>Amarantha always tried to practice her magic. But no matter how she tries, how much she wiggles her fingers, or how many times she reads the book... She just can’t understand magic. She doesn’t like it.</p><p>But she wants to make her mother proud. She knows how much her mother affectionates magic, and how she (and her grandfather Claude) are skilled with it. So why can’t she be a skilled magician too?<br/>She has always heard how powerful her grandfather is, having controlled his own mana at age three, and that her mother even unconsciously created a powerful holy beast out her excess of mana when she was her age.</p><p>But Amy doesn’t have a powerful, overwhelming mana. And she can barely control the amount that she possesses.</p><p>So she just tries to do spells for debutants, even though she has been practicing magic for more than a year, as her family insisted on giving her magic classes, because they feared that she would have trouble controlling her mana, like her mother. It was a useless thought, in the end. She doesn’t have that much mana, anyway.Her family doesn’t care much about her mana, as they only wish her to be healthy and happy, but Amy feels like she is deceiving them. Particularly her mother, whose eyes twinkle when using music. She wishes she was like her mommy.</p><p>- I’m sure I can do this. I can do it. I can…</p><p>Trying to make float the books in front of her, light shining her hands, Amarantha trembled. The books rised from the table.</p><p>- Oh!</p><p>Amarantha felt a sudden cold rush between her fingers, and all around her.<br/>The books started flying all around the room, but before she could even rejoice, a clear blue circle appeared on the roof, illuminating the whole library, and something— no, someone came out of it.</p><p>- WAAAAAHHH!</p><p>- Wha-what is this?! Mommy, dadd—</p><p>*BAM*</p><p>That someone fell on Amarantha, who only saw longs strands of black hair around her.</p><p>- Ah, excuse me! I didn’t meant to fall on top of you.</p><p>- Who— who are—</p><p>- Wooh! You look like an angel, miss! I'm sor—... Eh— wait. Your eyes… And this place, it’s the Emerald palace! What are you doing here? Are you part of the imperial family, miss?</p><p>- Well, yes I am— But that’s what I should be asking you! Who are you? What are you doing here? And why— why are your eyes the same as mine? - Amarantha asked, her voice flattering. She wanted to cry, she was afraid because of the sudden rush of mana in the room, because of the weird child that appeared out of nowhere and because she hurt her butt when she fell on the ground.</p><p>- What do you mean? I live here, in the Emerald palace, miss. I am princess Attheia de Alger Obelia.</p><p>The black-haired child talked confidently, sure of what she was saying. Her blue jewelled eyes twinkled with a sort of haughtiness and confidence, as if proud of her supposed title, and she placed one of her small hands hands on her chest, probably to express herself better, yet not bothering to get up.</p><p>- You— You’re lying. You don’t live here—... Because I do.</p><p>The black-haired girl stared at her blankly, probably processing the informations, and putting a hand under her chin and the other under her elbow, she suddenly looked proud of herself, before talking again.</p><p>- Hm… That’s what I thought. I’m better than I expected. So, who are you?</p><p>- I am Amy— Ah, no, I mean, I am— I am princess Amarantha… De Alger Obelia.</p><p>- Amarantha, huh.</p><p>Attheia finally got up, staring at Amarantha, detailling her long, silver hair.</p><p>- So you’re gonna get up, or what? Did I hurt you that much? Do you need help, perhaps?</p><p>- Ah, no— no, I am quite fine. Thank you, m-miss Attheia.</p><p>Amarantha didn’t notice Attheia’s sightly mocking gaze. She knew that Amarantha was just scared, so she resisted her urge to tease her any more. Because Attheia’s mama always told her to be kind to strangers, even if her papa told her that she didn’t have too. But her mama also told her not to listen to her father regarding etiquette and social rules.</p><p>- So, whattcha you doing?</p><p>- Ah, excuse me, but— Are you not going to tell me who you are? I mean, you told me your name, but— Ah, I mean— What are you… Doing here?</p><p>- Didn’t you see? I used a teleportation spell to come here. Ah, well, I didn’t mean to come here but, you know! My papa and mama always told be that I have lots, lots of mana. So it seems like I accidentally traveled through time. I just wanted to go the library, though. Because I didn’t want to go the my dance lessons. They’re annoying.</p><p>- Through… Time?</p><p>- Uhuh. So whattcha doing? Are you studying magic? Oh, are those levitation spells?</p><p>None of them even thought about asking the other what the name of her parents were. Or what year they were currently in, in Attheia’s case. They were probably too engrossed in their conversation. Or maybe it was shock. It definitely was, for Amarantha.</p><p>- Hum, well, yes… I have a bit of difficulties with magic, so…</p><p>Amarantha couldn’t forget that the little girl in front of her, who looked a bit younger than she was, had opened a whole portal and talked about it casually, and immediately felt bad.</p><p>- Do you need help?</p><p>- Eh?</p><p>- I said “do you need help?”. With your magic, I mean. I’m rather talented, you know.</p><p>- Ah, well… Only if it really doesn’t bother you.</p><p>- Nah. It will be my compensation for falling on top of you. Come here. I’ll teach you.</p><p>- For real? Thank you, lady Attheia!</p><p>Amarantha couldn’t bring herself to call her “princess”. It sounded weird.</p><p>- Just call me Attheia.</p><p>- Then, call me Amarantha too.</p><p>Even if they seemed to act in a friendly way, there was an awkward atmosphere in the room, and none of them could bring them to propose their nickname to the other.</p><p>- Sure. So, first, you must understand that spell, so…</p><p>.<br/>.</p><p>Amarantha was afraid, at first. She feared messing up the spell, and that the talented and little Attheia would realise how bad she is at magic. But at the same time, maybe... Maybe the young girl could truly help her.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- I did it!</p><p>- See. I told so you. I’m quite talented.</p><p>- Oh, um, yes. Thank you very much, Attheia.</p><p>Attheia, who has a smug expression on her doll-like face, looked quite proud of herself, as if she had been the one to accomplish the work. Well, she certainly did help Amarantha, after all.</p><p>- Huhh, the sun is almost setting down. I should be going back home. It was nice meeting you, Amarantha. Oh, and don’t tell anybody about Attheia. I don’t want to get in trouble.</p><p>- I won’t! But how will you return? Are you sure you can…?</p><p>- Ehh, who do you think I am?— she asked, pouting. She seemed vexed— Of course Attheia can. I just have to sense my papa’s or my mama’s mana to find them, and come back home.</p><p>- Oh…</p><p>Amarantha wanted to smile at the girl’s antics.</p><p>« Ah, she seems so mature, but she still refers to herself by her own name. »</p><p>But then she realised that could not even imagine doing that— teleporting thing—this easily. Attheia was surely impressive.</p><p>- You really are a talented magician despite being so young, Attheia.</p><p>- Hehehe. My papa even told be that I could be stronger than him in the future, and my papa is the strongest wizard!</p><p>- My mother is also a talented magician. But it seems like I did not inherit her talents.</p><p>- Meh… Don’t worry too much about it. My mama always tells me that if you really work hard for something, it will work out in the end. So I’m sure you’ll be a great magician if you keep studying like this.</p><p>- Mommy also tells me that. Thank you for helping me and for your kind words, Attheia.</p><p>- It’s nothing, really. I’m glad to have been able to help you. You know, Attheia will be a big sister soon. I want to help my sibling a lot too. So… I’m kinda practicing.</p><p>- Oh, really? I would love to have a sibling, too.</p><p>- You can practice with me, then.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- Amy.</p><p>- Mommy!</p><p>Shyly putting the books aside and rising from her seat, Amarantha headed towards the door of her private library, where her mother was.</p><p>- How did the council go, mommy?</p><p>-  Oh, It went well.– Athanasia lied. It had been exhausting, and painful. A political meeting with her father, duke Alpheus and the nobles never ended well– Thank you for your concerns, Amy. And how was your day? Were you studying?</p><p>- Um, yes. I– I practiced the levitation spells, mom, and I finally did it!</p><p>Of course, she could tell her mother that a little girl fell from the sky (the roof?) and helped her.</p><p>And Athanasia just smiled softly at her daughter, pride shining in her pretty eyes. She knew that Amarantha practiced a lot her magic, and she couldn’t be more proud at her daughter’s perseverance and determination. She was such a bright child.</p><p>Like her father.</p><p>- You are the best, Amy. Do you want to show me?</p><p>- Oh, um–… Su-sure, mommy. I don’t know if I will be able to do it again, <br/>though…</p><p>- You do not worry about it, dear. Take your time, stay calm. I know you can do it.</p><p>Oh yes, Amarantha was so much like her father. She is identical to him when she first met him, after falling on top of him for the first time. Though she had only seen Ijekiel twice as a child, Athanasia was sure he looked like Amy. Cute and shy. <br/>Nervously shivering, Amarantha breathed in, trying to remember Attheia’s advices. Invoking mana at the tip of her fingers, gathering it in her palms, visualising the books, imagining them levitating, wrapping her wriggling her mana around them–<br/>And they did. </p><p>The books floated in the air, enveloped in a faint, delicate blue light.</p><p>- You did it, Amy!</p><p>- I did, I did! </p><p>After a while of moving them around the library, they started to quiver. The spell was slowly disappearing, and Amarantha remembered what the black-haired girl told her.</p><p>“ The mana is yours. You are the one who must control it, not the other way <br/>round. If you feel like a spell is evaporating, going away, call it back.”, she had said confidently, and Amarantha had almost felt like she was reciting the words that came out her mouth.<br/>And so, Amy gently directed more mana towards the books, moving them around the celling before putting them back on their table.</p><p>- A-Amy, it was amazing. You’re incredible! You must have practiced a lot.</p><p>- Thank you, mommy. </p><p>- I am so proud of you, Amy. Never forget it.</p><p>- Yes… Yes, mommy.</p><p>As her mother embraced her, Amy wanted to sob, her insecurities disappearing. She had finally made her mother proud about her magic. </p><p>- Where is daddy, mommy? I would like to show him, too.</p><p>- O-oh… Your father went to the Alpheus estate to visit your aunt Jenette. Today, your grandfather told us she has been feeling quite ill, lately, so he went to visit her. I’m sorry, Amy. He will probably be back in a few days. </p><p>- Oh… It’s alright. I can show him once he comes back. </p><p>- You can show it to grandpa Claude, though! I’m sure that both uncle Felix and him will be happy to see how talented you are.</p><p>The silver-haired girl nodded, heading out of her library, her mother’s hand wrapped around her little one, warm and comforting. She wanted to hide her deception. She had been waiting all the afternoon to show her parents, but her daddy wasn’t here. But Amy did not want to be egoist. Aunt Jenette’s health was more important. Amarantha liked her aunt, after all. Even if sometimes, she looked at her strangely. </p><p>She just shrugged, wiping her ideas away on her way to grandpa Claude’s room. </p><p>She didn’t have to know that Jenette felt like Amarantha was her daughter, not Athanasia’s, after all. Amarantha should have been her daughter. Ijekiel should have been her husband. Claude should have been her father. And the throne should have been hers as well.</p><p>But once Ijekiel fell in love with princess Athanasia, who reciprocated him very soon, duke Alpheus forbad her from meeting the emperor and telling him that she is his daughter as well. He practically locked her up in the estate, using the pretext of her ill health.</p><p>Why has she been the unlucky one? Why couldn’t she reach happiness? Why couldn’t she have a family?</p><p>Why did Athanasia steal all of that away from her?</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- Studying again?</p><p>- WAH!! What, what— A-Attheia?</p><p>- Yup. I thought that coming back to check on you would be a good idea.<br/>It had already been three days since she met Attheia, and Amarantha never expected to see her again.</p><p>- I didn’t hear you…</p><p>- I practiced teleporting for a bit. I did it accidentally, last time, so it was a bit messy and it draw a lot of attention.</p><p>- Oh…</p><p>- What are you studying now? Magic again?</p><p>- Oh, no. Not this time. I am reading a book about Obelia’s history.</p><p>- Hum… My daddy told be that there are a lot of errors in those books. For example, did you know that Aethernitas was a bas-… A bad guy?—oh, she almost said a bad word. Her papa always laughed when she badmouthed the ancestral emperor but her mama told her it was bad to talk like that.</p><p>- Eh, but… It’s written everywhere that Aethernitas was a an excellent emperor and an amazing wizard.</p><p>- Huh, yeah, yeah.</p><p>Attheia brushed it off, not wanting to talk any more about the guy her papa disliked so much. Even her mama always had a funny look in her eyes when she mentionned him.<br/>- You seem to like studying history a lot, Amarantha.</p><p>- Yes, it’s true. I really like history and literature.</p><p>- Meh… I think it’s boring. What else do you like?— Attheia asked while sitting on the chair next to hers, putting her cheek against the table.</p><p>- Um, well I also like dancing. It’s quite fun. Do you like dancing, Attheia?</p><p>- Meh,—she repeated— nah. It’s embarrassing. I don’t like it. And my papa always teases me about it, too. He says he also dislikes it, but I’ve seen him dance with mama when they think they are alone.</p><p>- Oh… I’ve never seen my parents dancing.</p><p>Well, it was true. Amarantha was not yet 14, so she had not debuted into society and could not attend bals and other social gatherings. Therefore, she has never seen her parents dance during the eight years of her life.</p><p>Attheia just kept grumbling. </p><p>- And I have to learn a choreography for tomorrow, but I just can’t. And I don’t want to. My teacher is old and annoying.</p><p>- Do you need help?</p><p>- Eh?</p><p>- With your choreography. You helped me a lot last time… So I would like to help you too. If you don’t mind…</p><p>Attheia blushed. Ah-- she really disliked asking for help. But she guessed she had no other choice. She could not just arrive to her next dance class without knowing anything. Her mama was so scary when she grounded her, and even her papa took her mama's side in those occasions. </p><p>- Oh, um, well.. Only if you don’t mind. I would… Great-… Greatly appreciate your hel-p…</p><p>Oh, she never thought she would speak to those words. Saying it out loud…</p><p>“Papa would make fun of me…”</p><p>- Then, let’s do it.</p><p>Attheia sighed, and with a snap of her fingers, music resonated in the room.</p><p>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- Your steps must be lighter, Attheia.</p><p>- O-okay.</p><p>- Yes, like this.</p><p>- …</p><p>- You’re doing really well.</p><p>Amarantha wondered if having a younger sibling was like this.<br/>.<br/>.<br/>.</p><p>- Thank you very much for your help, Amarantha.</p><p>- It was my pleasure. And you’re a very good dancer, you know.</p><p>- A-ah, thank you… You too.</p><p>Attheia felt suddenly shy, which contradicted her usual brazen and smug attitude. She did not expect Amarantha to suddenly sound so maternal. So much like her mommy.</p><p>- Oh, I’ll should get going. I was supposed to be sleeping. I hope nobody noticed that I sneaked our.</p><p>- Will you come back?</p><p>- … Yes. It like spending time with you, Amarantha.</p><p>- Me too, Attheia.</p><p>Amarantha felt less lonely when she was with Attheia.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Is it too much noticeable that I’m team Lucathy? Hohoho</p><p> </p><p>And about Jenette, duke Alpheus basically ditched her once she was useless to him. And her entire dreams of having a family were destroyed, just as her hopes of marrying Ijekiel :’) she’s really bitter about it, and became kinda crazy. She’s really jealous of Athy and secretly considers Amy as her (and Ijekiel’s) daughter. I'm not an anti-Jenette btw, I just love the idea of her being dark.</p><p>Duke Alpheus, on the other hand, has achieved the dream of his life. He kinda imposed himself at royal councils by Claude, Athanasia and Ijekiel’s side.</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Aka Jenette goes through the same process as Athy in wmmap (I mean— she’s LP!Jenette, then reincarates as a Korean girl and then becomes Jenette again without the memories of her first life. Athy has reincarnated too. But as she (Jenette) only read the novel “The Lovely Princess” back in Korea, she doesn’t know that her “real father” is Anastacius and that she was conceived through black magic. (As the LP novel basically ends with “and Jenette lived happily ever after, with her husband and father and blablabla.)</p><p>She isn’t interested in Claude and Athy too. Because she doesn’t want to replace her “real family”, back home in Korea. She thinks it’s pointless.</p><p> </p><p>Hehe, this mini-fic is linked to a prompt I wrote and posted in Tumblr some time ago. It was about Korean Claude abandoning Korean Athy (Lee Jihye) as a baby and trying to find her, years later, only founding out that she had already died.</p><p>Basically, Jenette/Park Eun-jung considered her uncle (Korean Claude) as her father, and K!Claude just “projected” the idea of a daughter onto Eun-jung, probably because he felt remorseful of having abandonned his real daughter. This is kinda a modern AU of “The Lovely Princess”. Without Claude forgetting Athy and Diana thanks to magic, of course.</p><p>Oh and I think that Park Eun-jung was pretty much like LP!Jenette. Cheery and bright and stuff. She loved her uncle/Claude. But losing him and being sent to another world made her pretty… blank and cold, I suppose.</p><p> </p><p>Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it ^.^</p><p>Most of the dialogues between Ijekiel and Jenette come from the manhwa by the way. They come from chapters 22 and 26.</p><p>I sincerely hope that there isn’t too much inconsistencies, grammar mistakes or weird-looking sentences ;.;</p></blockquote></div></div>
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